‘Hang on, we should probably talk about the farms, Mandy, since we’ve worked out the basic details of everything else.’
Amanda gave him a hug.‘Just like you to talk business when we could be discussing romantic things!’
Adrian hugged her back, then let go. ‘I propose that we merge the farms together.What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine, after all.’
Amanda felt the first twinge of apprehension as he talked. She wasn’t sure she was quite ready to do that; it was only through her own hard work and effort that Kyleena had been saved. She tried to push the thought to the back of her mind, chiding herself for being selfish. If Adrian was happy to share everything of his, which was plenty, much more than she could offer, then shouldn’t she be happy to do the same?
‘I’ve worked out that to shift stock between the farms we could build a small stile at the narrowest part of the river and walk them over. Kyleena has some great cropping land. Since it hasn’t spent a lot of time in crop, the natural fertility will help grow fantastic crops. Damo has been talking to me about expanding the cropping program and Kyleena will fit in with that.’ Adrian took another sip of his wine.
‘Ade, I’m really not sure about cropping Kyleena. I understand why you want to, but I’m not into cropping that much.’
‘But, my love, we’ll have to run everything together. It would be foolish to run it as two separate farms. Now as for your studs, you could bring them here and have them in the paddock near the house. All the rams will be in the right spot for the sale and you won’t have to worry about getting Kyleena too tidy for it – and while I’m sure you’ll want to keep on with them for a while, once we have children I hope you’ll give them up. It’s not like we’ll need the money.’
‘Really?’ Amanda asked, suddenly getting angry. She had an idea where this was going even though she had been sure that Adrian had understood her outlook on not working. ‘What about helping you outside? Would there be equal say there?’
‘Oh, Mandy, do you really want to work on the farm? Surely you won’t, not with all this to look after.’ He swept his hands around to encompass the house and gardens. ‘I’ll happily take you on farm inspections, but once the children come along you’ll be too busy. And I’m not getting any younger, so I’d like to have children straight away.’
‘Adrian, you know I’m not like that.You of all people know how hard I’ve worked to get Kyleena where it is. Why would I want to stop suddenly?’
‘But that’s just it, Mandy,’ Adrian looked at her so eagerly that her heart almost melted. ‘You wouldn’t have to work that hard anymore. You’d have me to look after you.’
‘You don’t get it do you?’ Amanda asked incredulously. ‘I thought you did. I do this because I love it! Not because I have to. I want to work outside. I want to feel the sun on my skin and listen to the lambs calling to their mums. I want to feel the soil between my fingers and look out at the mass of grass I’ve grown and know that it’s happened because I made the right decision. I want to feel the heartbreak of a bad season and learn from it and then start again the next year. I love the land, I want to be a part of it, not shut in a house somewhere on a hill, tending to a garden, making jam and bringing up a tribe of kids. I want to be out there, living it, breathing it.’ Amanda put down her glass and stood up.‘I’m sorry, Adrian, I thought this was going to work, but it’s obvious that I’m not the sort of woman you’re looking for.’ She slipped off the ring and put it on the table.
‘Mandy, darling, you’re overreacting. I’m sorry.’ Adrian shot to his feet. ‘You can be any type of woman you want. I’m sorry if I upset you. Please stay – we’ll work through it.’
Amanda looked at him gently and said,‘Adrian, you might say that now, but it will only come between us later on. You won’t like that I’m outside, that I come home dirty and smelling like sheep. You’ll start to resent me and then I’ll resent you. I’m sorry, but it’s better to know now than later. ‘I do love you, but I can’t be the person you want me to be.’ And she walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.
Chapter 44
Amanda threw her suitcase in the back of the ute and made sure she had plenty of CDs up front. It was a long drive to Perth and the music would take her mind off everything.
After the argument with Adrian, she had decided she just had to get away from Esperance and the farm. Her search for the owner of the hut had hit a brick wall. Maybe she should go to Perth for some time away from Kyleena and to see a solicitor. Jonno had a spare room in his flat and, after a phone call from Amanda, Jonno was expecting her late that afternoon. She’d checked the sheep, made sure all the gates were shut and put out a tank of fungicide spray over her oats crop. Now it was time to leave.
‘Get up, Mingus,’ she said as she stood by the back of the ute. Mingus jumped into the back and she tied him to a chain that was bolted to the back of the cab. Mingus was going to stay with Sharna for the few days that Amanda was away, and Sharna would bring the dog out to the farm every day after work when she came to check up on everything.
After one final glance at the house and shed to check that everything was in order, she climbed into the ute and took off.
Five hours later, she was refuelling at Lake Grace, and another four hours on she’d hit the outskirts of Perth. Adjusting to city driving took a little time – she changed lanes nervously, searching for street names that were so hard to find among all the road signs and trees and traffic lights.
Finally, with a sigh of relief, she turned into Jonno’s street and spotted his V8 ute – devoid of aerial and spotlights – sitting out the front of his unit.
As she got out, stretching and grabbing her bag off the back, a screen door slammed and she looked around to see Jonno in a pair of faded jeans, a blue and white rugby top and bare feet. His hair was tousled as if he’d just got out of bed. Amanda’s breath caught in her throat. He looked so . . . desirable. She knew she had done the right thing by leaving Adrian.
‘Mandy-Mands!’ he called. ‘How are you?’
‘Hi, Jonno, great to see you,’ Amanda called back, walking towards him. ‘What’s the deal with the ute? No aerials or spotties! Lost your country background?’
‘Nah, just getting sick of things being pinched off it. Two mornings in a row I came out to find that the spotties had gone. It wouldn’t be a problem if the unit had a garage, but parked out on the street it’s a prime target for low-lifes.’ He reached out and took her bag, then wrapped his free arm around her. ‘So you’ve given Adrian the Dear John letter?’
Amanda winced. ‘Yep.’
‘How do you feel about that?’
‘Pretty crap, actually. I think I’ve hurt him quite badly and that was never my intention. He was so good to me after Dad died, but I can’t see us going back to being friends now. I just wish he could have understood why I want to farm. It’s just one big balls-up.’
‘Well have a shower, while I order a pizza.’
When she came out, Jonno was standing in the kitchen serving piles of pizza onto two plates, a beer open in front of him. She stood in the shadows of the hallway, observing him, the feeling that she needed to tell him how she felt so close to the surface.
Jonno lifted another piece of pizza from the box that, as he lifted it across to the plate, slipped upside down on the bench top.‘Shit,’ he muttered and Amanda couldn’t help but giggle. She walked into the kitchen and leaned against the bench, smiling at him.
‘There’s beer in the fridge,’ Jonno said, ignoring her giggle and handing her a plate.
Finally they settled on the couch, eating and catching up with the news of the last few months.
Amanda was gobsmacked at the amount of travelling Jonno did for his job.
‘Yeah, one week they’ll send me to Albany to cover a sale, then it’s back to the sale yards to talk to the auctioneers, then up to Kununurra to interview people about the Ord River Scheme. I really love it though, Mandy. Some of the pe
ople I’ve had the opportunity to talk to or have a beer with have been amazing. The Minister for Agriculture for one! I’ve learned more about agriculture than I thought I ever would, and it’s not just cropping and stock – I can tell you about live cattle export, growing tomatoes or potatoes . . . And to portray it well, for people who haven’t seen what I’m seeing, you need to understand what you’re writing about. It’s been great!’
‘Well, you sound passionate about it. What’s next for you? Will you stay here or try and go higher up the ladder?’
‘Actually, I’m thinking about leaving the city. I’m a bit sick of the noise and smog. I want to wake up and see blue skies and hear the birds. I was thinking about going back to Dad’s farm and giving him a hand there for a while and seeing what I felt like doing then. Might even venture down as far as your place! Even if I’m based in the country, I can still cover certain things for the magazine – clearing sales, ram sales, that sort of stuff. Could you cope with me bunking on your floor for a while?’
‘You know you can come and stay whenever you want for as long as you want!’ Amanda answered and tried to stifle a yawn.
‘Now I’m boring you,’ Jonno twinkled at her. ‘C’mon, bed time! Tomorrow I’m dragging you to the Midland sale yards with me – I’ve got an article to write on how dilapidated they are and where farmers think the new yards should be. Then we’ll go to Kings Park, prime Perth land – gotta show the country gal what’s in my territory!’
‘I’ve got an appointment with a solicitor tomorrow. To find out about that fenced-off piece of land that I found a while ago. I might have told you about it at Christmas. I want to know if it’s part of Kyleena or not. I thought I’d go and see Mum and Dad’s solicitors about it.’
‘Do you want me to come too?’
‘Maybe you could just drop me off or tell me which bus to catch to get there. It’s in the city centre.’
‘I’ll drop you off.’
Amanda grabbed his hand. ‘Thanks for having me, Jonno,’ she said softly.
‘You’re more than welcome, Mandy-Mands!’ He rubbed his thumb over her hand and Amanda felt shots of desire course through her. Yes, it was a good thing she’d let Adrian go. She knew that she could never end up with Jonno, but the way she felt when she was with him helped her realise she and Adrian would never have made it.
After Amanda had turned off the light, she went to the window and lifted the curtains. Cars sped past, carrying nameless people to nameless places. She couldn’t even see the stars, and tried not to feel so alone in this alien environment.
A little while later she heard the squeak of Jonno’s bed springs.
Amanda walked up the steps and into a huge skyscraper. The foyer was filled with glass and mirrors and it made her feel slightly disorientated and uncomfortable.
She told the receptionist who she was and was instructed to take the elevator to the third floor.
The carpet was thick and muted the sounds of any footsteps or voices. Once again, there was a desk with a receptionist, who looked up and smiled. ‘Can I help you?’
‘I’m Amanda Greenfield – I’ve got an appointment with Tony Buckley.’
‘One moment please.’ She pushed a button on her computer and spoke softly into the microphone. ‘He’ll be out in a moment, if you’d just like to take a seat. Can I get you anything?’
‘No, thank you.’
A few minutes later a man came into the reception area and said, ‘Amanda Greenfield? Come this way, please.’
They settled in his office and Tony asked how he could help. Amanda explained about the piece of land.
‘Well, we can find out the answer in two seconds flat,’ Tony responded. He tapped at his computer and brought up a government website that he then logged on to. He asked a couple of questions about where the farm was situated and then showed her a map of Kyleena, the river and Paringa. She pointed out the piece of land in question and Tony tapped a few more times.
‘Mmm, it seems that the page is unavailable at the moment. I’ll try again. Five attempts later he smiled ruefully.‘I’m so sorry, Amanda, there must be a problem with the website. Are you in Perth for long?’
‘I’m hoping to head home tomorrow.’
‘Well, I can keep trying until the web page comes up and then put the details in a letter to you. Would you like a copy of the title when I find out?’
‘Yes please.’
‘Fine. I’m sorry we haven’t been able to answer your question here and now, but you should have the answer in the next week.’
Jonno and Amanda drove up the winding road to the lookout. Kings Park at night was beautiful, but Amanda was shivering. The winter wind had blown off the sea all day and she hadn’t been able to get warm.
‘C’mon, grab another jacket,’ Jonno said as he locked the car.‘This way.’ Their breath came out in white puffs and the frigid air made Amanda’s eyes sting.
They weaved their way around cement paths that cut through carefully manicured lawns and garden beds to get to the spot that looked across the central business district of Perth. The view was spectacular and Amanda could make out the twinkling lights of the ferry crossing the Swan River. They stood side by side, Amanda aware of the heat coming from Jonno, even though she was wearing thick clothes. She longed to lean into him.
Jonno pointed out significant landmarks until there was nothing left to show, then they stood quietly side by side and looked across the city. Jonno’s leg accidentally brushed Amanda’s as he shifted his position and she turned to look at him, colour flooding her cheeks as she realised he was staring at her. He reached up as if to touch her face then let his hand fall. Clearing his throat he said, ‘It’s pretty cold, hey? We’d better head home.’
The next morning, Amanda hugged Jonno and thanked him for having her.
‘It’s been so good to see you,’ she said.
‘I reckon I could be down your way before long.’
Amanda smiled and climbed into the ute, started it and eased onto the road.
As she drove out of the city, Amanda reflected on the last couple of days. The break had done her good and she’d been left wondering if there was a chance Jonno felt the same way about her as she did for him.
Chapter 45
It seemed the whole town was at the cemetery to farewell Kathleen Cramm.
Shock waves had flooded through the town when her body had been found downstream from Kyleena, and her horse tethered on the road.
Michael and Grace had been questioned at length by the police, but since neither of them had seen Kathleen they didn’t have much to tell.
Michael had been devastated by the turn of events. Even though he hadn’t thought of Kathleen for some time he remembered their time together with fondness and would always think of her with affection, but he hadn’t any idea why she would have been on Kyleena or why she would have taken her life nearby.
When the coffin was lowered into the grave under the tall, shady tuart trees, a muffled wail was heard as Anna Cramm’s knees buckled and she had to lean on Thomas for support.
After the final blessing, the mourners began to disperse. Michael, who was at the back of the crowd, waited under a nearby tree until he could speak with Thomas alone. He watched as the small group of family members started to move off and the men arrived to fill in the grave.
Thomas broke away from the group when he saw Michael waiting.
‘Thomas, I am so sorry. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling.’
‘It’s a sad day, Michael.’
‘Why did she do it?’
‘Only she would know.’
‘Can I do anything?’
‘Not really.’
‘You know where I am if you need me.’
Thomas nodded and walked back to his family.
Racked with guilt, Michael walked back to the truck and sat there for a while. He couldn’t help but feel that he must have unwittingly played a part in Kathleen’s death. Why would she hav
e come to Kyleena otherwise? Resting his head on the steering wheel, he began to weep.
Chapter 46
Amanda pulled up at Lake Grace to refuel and turned on her mobile. She had left it turned off in her glove box, only wanting the security of it as she was travelling. It started to ring almost immediately.
‘Mandy, it’s Sharna.’
‘Hi,’ Amanda said, surprised.‘How’s things?’
‘Not too bad, but I’ve had a bit of a problem with the farm. I’ve sorted it now, but I thought you should know. When I went out after work last night I found some sheep on the road. I put them back in your driveway and shut the gate, then did a quick run along the fence. Mandy, it’s been cut.’
‘What? Bloody hell! Is everything else okay?’
‘Well it’s a bit hard for me to tell, since I don’t really know what animals you’ve got where, but it seems all right. There’s still water in the troughs, couldn’t see any dead stock. I’ve strained up the fence again, with Scotty’s help, and the sheep are back in the paddock.’
‘Oh, Sharna, thanks for that – I didn’t think you’d have to cope with anything like this. I’m so sorry!’
‘No problem. Anyway, I just thought I should let you know. Are you on your way home?’
‘Yeah, just refuelling at Lake Grace. I’ll call in and pick Mingus up tonight.’
‘No worries. See you then.’
Amanda drove in a daze. Someone had cut her fence? Why? Apprehension built up in her and she pushed her foot down on the accelerator. She needed to get home as quickly as she could.
Several hours later, with Mingus sitting beside her, she turned into the drive, her eyes scanning the house and surrounds. Was anything different? At first glance all seemed fine, and she began to relax. She drove to the AI lambs and, in the fading light, checked them. Finding nothing wrong, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She checked the answering machine and found the red light flashing.
Blue Skies Page 19
